


All Tied Up

by SSADavieBoy



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Gen, No Slash, Psychological Torture, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-15 09:35:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15410034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSADavieBoy/pseuds/SSADavieBoy
Summary: He pulled against the ropes with all his might, but they wouldn't give."Don't bother," a voice said.He looked up to discover a thin woman bound with the same rope. Although it was dark,  he could see her bruised eyes and bloody wrists."I already tried."





	1. The Man, The Rope, and The Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own this show or these characters because if I did Dave would have a lot more story arcs.  
> Please feel free to leave comments but if you're going to leave criticism let it at least be constructive.

He pulled against the ropes with all his might, but they wouldn't give.

"Don't bother," a voice said.

He looked up to discover a thin woman bound with the same rope. Although it was dark,  he could see her bruised eyes and bloody wrists.

"I already tried."

"What's your name?" he asked as he studied the woman. She couldn't have been much older than thirty, her long brown hair was matted with blood and a frown played across her lips.

"Emily" she said almost hesitantly and watched as he laughed slightly to himself. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing sorry, I know an Emily. She's my coworker, well my boss now but were all friends, really family where I work," he explained to Emily as she watched him with curiosity.

"Where do you work?" she asked after a moment.

"I'm a Profiler with the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI. We're based out of Quantico, Virginia" he told her his voice dropping with what seemed like grief.

"What happened to them?"

"I'm not sure" he admitted sadly before a look of determination took over "But I know wherever they are they'll be looking for me and we'll get out of this alive."

 She almost believed him, just for one moment there was a flicker of hope before she remembered where they were. They were never getting out, well she might but this guy wasn't, whoever took them hated men with a passion or at least men who looked like this guy. FBI or not there was no way he was escaping this at least not without damage. She didn't know his name she realized, she didn't even think she had asked as much yet.

"What's your name?" Emily asked him her neck beginning to hurt from the strain of watching him over her shoulder. He said nothing, he had turned back around and didn't say a word and it was silent for a few minutes. It was almost as if he was trying to determine whether or not her could trust her with that knowledge.

"David Rossi" he said finally.

She looked back at him once more, really straining her neck to see him. He was older, looked to be in his 60's, his hair was white and gray from what seemed like stress and age, his face was kind and tired and he had a goatee. His cloths were dirty but nice, like they had been expensive but then dragged through the mud. He wore jeans, and a dark blue dress shirt tucked into his pants with a nice belt. The top two buttons of his shirt were open and his sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, his shoes looked to be expensive Italian boots and were caked in mud. A gold cross necklace hug from around his neck and a rather large ring sat proudly on his right ring finger. Just from looking at him she could tell he was well off and probably extremely well respected in his field.

"Do you remember how you got here?" his voice cut into her thoughts. She had been staring at him for quite some time in deep thought but he figured maybe she knew something that could help them. 

"No but then again I've been here so long I'm starting to be convinced there's no world outside of here."

"There is" he assured he quickly seeing the hopelessness in her eyes. Dave barely remembered what happened, one second he was getting home after a long case and the next he was out cold and waking up in this...what is this? He looked around now taking in his surroundings for the first time. It looked like an empty concrete basement, the walls were stained with blood and so was the floor. In the corner of the room an eye looked back at him causing a shiver of uneasiness to roll through him. He turned his head to look at the other side and saw a work bench full of hand made tools also stained with blood and his hope slipped a little. He was a seasoned veteran but even he had to admit this didn't look good for him.

"I've watched him" she said so quietly, Dave wasn't sure he heard her.

"What?"

"He forces me to watch him as he tortures the men he brings in here. Always asking if I like it and when I say no he hits me but the second I say yes he kills them" she confided. Their lives, Dave's life lay in her hands and she knew when it came down to it eventually he'd die because she could only handle so much.

Dave took this in before asking her one question that would really reveal his odds of living long enough for the team to find him "How many?"

"You'll probably be dead by the end of the day tomorrow," was all she replied and he nodded his head in silent acceptance.

"They'll find you. Even if I do die, they'll find you because they'll never stop looking for me" David assured her.

"He'll kill them," she warned.

"He can try but he'll fail, they always do."

"Not this time. Not this guy."

"Maybe not but if he does he'll never get away because the entire FBI will be after him for killing their best team and group of agents. He'll never be left alone," Rossi said with a new sort of determination.


	2. The Unsub, The Tools, and The Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own this show or these characters because if I did Dave would have a lot more story arcs.  
> Please feel free to leave comments but if you're going to leave criticism let it at least be constructive.

Hours seemed to have passed without a sound besides the occasional word between them. Dave was beginning to wonder if this Unsub was ever going to show himself. At the same time he was also hoping he never would, thinking maybe he could put off the inevitable pain to come by pure hope. He would pray some while the two of them sat in silence, some times out loud while others in his head. He would pray for the Lord to help him through this, to give him the strength to survive and for his team to find him. He would repeat the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we have forgiven those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil", in his head time and again. He would think about the team: Emily, Reid, Penelope, Tara, Luke, and Matt. Wondering if they knew he was missing, if they were searching for him as hard as he hoped they were. Emily wasn't much help, she sat there silently trying not to get attached to him, which he understood because it would hurt less later when she couldn't handle the pain and he would have to die. He didn't want to die, he accepted that he might but he didn't want to, no one did really. Sure he wanted to see Carolyn, James, Erin, and Sgt. Scott again but he wasn't quiet ready yet.

A door opened and closed upstairs and foot steps made their way to the basement door before it too swung open. On the other side was a thin, lanky man who looked to be no older than twenty three. That threw Dave off, from what Emily had said the Unsub should have been older, much older but he wasn't he was young. The man made his way down the stairs in black slacks and a white dress shirt worn in much the same fashion as Dave's own. Over his cloths was a plastic apron, almost like the one a butcher would use and he wore black hiking boots which went surprisingly well with his other cloths. The man's eyes never left Dave as he slowly descended the stairs, a wicked grin spread wide, in his hand where jumper cables that made even Dave nervous. He admitted to himself there and then that he was quiet scared of what was to come of all of this.

"Hello Emily. I hope you've been nice to our new friend here," the Unsub addressed her with out taking his eyes off Dave. He approached him and leaned in extremely close whispering "let's have some fun. We would love to hear you scream."

Dave didn't say a word, giving him the most deadly glare he could come up with.

"Oh this will be fun, you're gonna be a fighter, I can already tell" the Unsub said before landing a solid punch into Dave's gut, winding him. "What to start with...hmmm" he wondered before punching Dave again but this time in the jaw, bloodying his lip. Then another to the side of his head and another and another and finally one to his nose with a sickening crack.

Dave sat there refusing to make a noise or give the man the satisfaction of seeing him weak, because he knew weakness would be his death. 

The Unsub walked over to the table of tools and set down the jumper cables only to pick up a serrated knife and walk back over to Rossi. Without warning he stabbed it into Dave's hand and pinned it to the chair, successfully pulling a pain filled scream from the older man.

"Yes! Just what I want to hear! Isn't that right Emily?!" the Unsub said in excitement.

"Yes John" Emily whispered.

"That's the spirit!" He said happily before grabbing the second knife off the table and stabbing it into Dave's other hand, pinning it too to the chair.

Dave didn't scream this time, instead he passed out from the pain.

"hmmm, he didn't last too long" John said thoughtfully before quickly heading up stairs.

"Dave?" Emily whispered but no response came from the poor agent.

Minutes went by before John returned with what looked like a dentist's chair and then seconds later a mirror.

"Picked these up today" he said cheerfully as he placed the mirror on the ceiling above the chair. He then moved to Dave and removed both knives from his hands, untied him from the chair, moved him to the dentist's chair and strapped him back down. He then walked over to Emily and moved her so she could still see Dave being tortured before moving his table of tools closer.

At this point Dave was regaining consciousness, slowing blinking awake and looking around.

"Oh goody you're back!" John said before moving to his tools. "Now we can continue!" he grabbed a pair of pliers and walked over to Dave who's head was also strapped down now.

All the man did was smirk and Dave knew what was about to happen. He quickly clenched his jaw shut but that didn't stop the Unsub who walked back over to the table and grabbed something to pry Dave's moth open and hold it there. Once that was done Rossi was once more rendered helpless and at the mercy of the man before him. Why was he here? Who was this guy? And where was his team?

As if sensing some of these questions John stared at Agent Rossi and spoke "I know who you are agent. You're here because of that and your team is dead because of you. Don't worry it was quick but because you're the one who ruined my fun the most I'm going to take my time with you like I did my other victims" John smirked.

Dave couldn't help it, even if the Unsub was lying about killing his team just the thought of them was killing him. Before he could think on it long though, he had pliers in his mouth and one of his teeth was being pulled out. He screamed in pain, his mouth filling with blood that he was forced to swallow because it had no where else to go. He choked on some of it and coughed sending blood all over and dripping down his face. He faintly heard a clink as his tooth was tossed on the table with the tools and the laughter as this man came back with one of the knives he had been stabbed with earlier. Dave couldn't help it and his eyes went wide with fear and all the while Emily watched not saying a word.

The Unsub dragged the knife down Rossi's cheek leaving a large gash behind and more blood dripping off. David flinched in pain and squeezed his eyes closed hoping it would all be over soon but it seemed his captor had other plans. He walked back over to the table and grabbed the jumper cables and a car battery hooking them booth up before turning to Dave and removing the clamp keeping his mouth open.

"You don't have to do this," Rossi pleaded weakly.

"Oh I think I do!" John said. He then grabbed the cables once more and electrocuted him in both arms till he passed out once more from the pain.

John just smiled and set the cables down before quickly heading up stairs and Emily began to cry. She knew for a fact this was only the beginning for the agent and later for her as well. He hadn't asked her yet but he would and when she said no it would be her in pain as well. She didn't want that, she didn't want the agent laying on the table in front of her to be tortured but she didn't either. Emily realized how selfish it was but she couldn't really bring herself to care that she wanted to live enough that other's dying instead seemed almost okay. It wasn't by any means okay and she knew that but after what felt like years in this basement she just couldn't bring herself to care for the man in front of her enough to save him.


	3. The Man, The Method, and The Madness

Dave woke with a start, his head snapping forward but not getting far due to the strap holding him down. The pain he felt made him sick, his stomach churning in displeasure at the feeling of his hands throbbing and his arms almost burning. His mouth tasted like dried blood and saliva but all at once was bone dry too. He swallowed nothing and his tongue moved against the roof of his mouth from thirst. His face and shirt were drenched in sweat but he shivered from the cool basement air as it hit him. The Unsub at some point must have put a fan down here to circulate the air some or cool it down enough to wake Dave from his unconsciousness.

The door to the basement swung open to reveal John in what Dave had seen earlier minus the apron. "Your friends are such a pain in my ass. One of them...Luke was it? Actually thought interrogating me would get him anywhere," John laughed as he reached the bottom of the stairs and smiled at Rossi. "Now , I usually torture for fun but today I do need some information. Don't worry there is indeed a method to my madness" the Unsub said as he walked over and released Dave from the chair. Dave dispite wanting to fight the man and escape was too weak to do much more than roll onto his side and watch as he also released Emily. She watched John carefully as he left the basement once more, locking the door and leaving them in mostly darkness.

Emily immediately made her way to the fridge and began digging through it. It was quiet small with not much in it but she figured anything would do at this point to keep their strength up.

"What are you doing?"

"...Eating"

"We're being held hostage and you decide to raid the fridge?"

"He didn't say it was off limits" Emily shrugged as she pulled out a water for him to rinse his mouth out with and clean his wounds as best as possible. That's when she remembered his hands and realized she'd have to take care of him, but she couldn't, she couldn't get attached and then be the reason he died. She decided maybe she'd just let him do it himself and put the water back before sitting on the floor with a carton of tomatoes to eat herself. She watched Dave lay there limply, his arms twitching every once in a while and his hands still dripping with blood. His teeth were red and a grimace was permanently stuck on his kind but guarded face. Emily looked away unable to keep watching him with out feeling horrible for letting him suffer.

An eternity stretched by before the basement door opened again but this time there was a woman slung over John's shoulder and a gun in his hand. Emily pressed herself into the nearest corner as John dropped the woman on the floor and walked over to her gun raised.

"No" Dave rasped but it was too late, John killed her with one swift shot to the head.

"Oh David don't worry I've brought you a friend. You may know her as Agent Emily Prentiss" John inquired as he strapped his colleague to the chair that had once belonged to the other Emily. He then turned and with quite a struggle was able to wrangle Dave out of the chair he was laying on and back into the one he started in before tying him up again. 

"No" Dave pleaded as he looked up and could clearly see it was indeed Emily.

"Yes Dave. Now if you behave like a good boy and give me what I want, she won't get hurt but if you don't..." John made the motion of slitting her throat with his finger.

"What is it you want?" Dave asked desperate to keep Emily safe. She was like a daughter to him. Hell the whole team were like his kids and he loved them like they were too.

"I want to know" the man paused and smirked "where the wild things are"

Dave stared at him in utter confusion a frown deeply set on his face.

John cracked up laughing "I'm just kidding what I really want to know is who Derek Morgan is because he's not on your team and yet he's also searching for me."

Dave kept his mouth shut the second he heard Derek's name, no way in hell was he going to tell this maniac a damn thing.

"oh the silent treatment. I see, well if that's how you're gonna play it then I'll just have to do this" and before Dave could react, Emily was awake from being shot in the hand by John as he stood over her. "Oh how good of you to join us Emily!" John said with a wide grin. "David and I were wondering if you were ever going to wake up!"

"Dave?" Emily questioned as she strained to see Rossi pale and slumped over strapped to his chair. He was watching her with hooded eyes, pain etched in his face.

"Maybe you can help us here. We were just discussing Derek Morgan, now Dave here doesn't want to say but you will or I can pull another one of his teeth out" John told her as he grabbed a pair of pliers and held Rossi's head back as he used the clamp from earlier to keep his mouth open.

"No" Emily said as she sent Dave an apologetic look knowing he knew she couldn't give this guy what he wanted without him killing them both. Dave watched her with a sort of acceptance before John reached into his mouth and yanked out a bloody molar by twisting it in every which direction causing Rossi so much pain he passed out.

"Wrong answer" John said before dropping the pliers, clamp, and tooth on the table and walking back up the stairs and out of the basement.

This man is insane, was the only thought that crossed Emily's mind before she too passed out from pain.


	4. The Plan, The Team, The Truth

"Dave" a distant voice called to him and he ignored it, too tired to respond. "David" There it was again, why couldn't it just leave him be and let him rest? "Rossi" It pleaded to him "please wake up Dave, I know you're tired but you need to open your eyes" the voice told him. He slid one eye open tiredly and could foggily see Emily across from him with a worried expression on her face.

"That's it Dave. I need you to stay awake for me, okay?" she asked him and all he did was groan in response. It was good enough for Emily at the moment since he looked like hell had decided to throw up on him. His hair was wild, a beard starting to take over, his cloths were ripped and burned, and blood was easily visible on his hands and at the corner of his mouth. The wounds on his hands specifically looked bad, they were clearly infected and if the gleam of sweat visible on his forehead was anything to go by and the glassiness in his eyes, he probably had a fever and was developing sepsis. He wasn't going to survive in this hell hole much more than a few days before it killed him. Emily needed to keep an eye on him and find a way out of here.

"Emily" Rossi whispered not able to say it much louder.

"Yea, Dave?" She asked hoping he wasn't going to make a big speech and say goodbye. No, they were going to get out of this alive,  _both_ of them were.

"Don't give him shit" Dave said with a little more conviction.

"I won't Dave" she told him softly. 

"I won't let him hurt you again" David said more to himself than her.

She sighed inwardly knowing that he couldn't guarantee that but that he'd try getting the Unsub to torture him instead of her. Why would he do it, well it was no secrete that he thought of the whole team as his kids. And what father wouldn't do everything they could to protect their kids? 

There were foot steps up stairs and Emily was suddenly back to the present and listening. The Unsub was currently singing to himself, which honestly wasn't all that surprising to Emily, but then the door bell rang. She strained her ear to hear the front door open and a second set of foot steps follow the Unsub to the basement door. They both stopped and Emily could hear some mumbling, before the Unsub and his guest moved back towards the front of the house. Emily sighed, now to figure out a plan of escape, Dave wasn't going to be much help in his state but...her thoughts were cut off by the basement door swinging open and a very,  _very_ angry Unsub stomping down to them. Emily swallowed, fear taking over as she spotted the crowbar in his hands.

"I'm going to ask you one time each, who Derek Morgan is and if you don't tell me I will break both of Davie boy here's knee caps. Understood?!" John yelled and Dave flinched at the noise.

"David, who is Derek Morgan?" the Unsub asked and when David didn't reply he brought the crowbar down on his knee. There was a sickening crack and Dave howled in pain as tears streamed down his face from the agony he was in.

"Next!" John said and pointed the crowbar at Emily who immediately sent an apologetic look at Dave. She couldn't tell this man who Derek was because whatever he wanted that information for couldn't have been good. "Who is Derek Morgan?!" John asked and when Emily didn't answer he swung around and brought the crowbar down on Dave's other knee, causing Emily to loose it and begin crying for her friend. She felt horrible for making him go through this but they really had no other choice. The Unsub stormed up the stairs in a fit of rage and slammed the door behind him before leaving the house.

Emily stood then, the chair forcing her to be hunched over, and made her way to the tool table. She grabbed one of the knives and leaned back to sitting. She arched her neck so her hand could reach it and cut through the ropes before doing the same to her feet. She stood finally free, there was no way she'd be able to carry Dave all the way up the stairs and out of the house. He was just too heavy and with broken knee caps he couldn't even help her carry him out. She had to make a decision to either try it and risk failure, leave and get help or stay and try to kill this Unsub herself. The last option seeming pretty far fetched with their current condition, she could feel the infection on her hand spreading and knew what she had to do. She hoped Dave would live long enough for her to bring him help and take this guy out. With that she took off up the stairs a voice stopping her in her tracks at the top.

"Be careful Emily" was all Dave got out before welcoming the abyss to take him into the darkness.

"I will Dave" and with that she left.

Her mission: to find help before Rossi couldn't fight death any longer.


	5. The John, The Jane, and The Help that never came

It had been what felt like years but was probably only days of John taking his fury out on him and he honestly didn't know how much longer he would last. At this point he had more teeth missing than not and severe burns along with a raging infection causing hallucinations. He was getting to the end of his rope and loosing hope that help might eventually come. On top of everything else the droop in one side of his face that had just freaked out John probably meant his Bell's Palsy was resurfacing again with a vengeance. The stress and weakened state of his body is more than likely what allowed the condition to resurface.

"I'm gonna have to call my shoe maker after this..." he whispered to himself as he looked down at his muddy, Italian leather boots, that looked like they were falling apart and one was even missing after John took it off to electrocute him again.

At this point Dave could barley speak because of the tooth abscesses in his mouth from lack of proper treatment. It felt like a gnawing and shooting pain through a few of his teeth, that were still there, from infection. Honestly there wasn't many methods of torture left for John to use of him, he was missing most teeth and a few finger nails, both his knee caps were broken, both hands had infected stab wounds, his arm had been dislocated and several ribs were cracked or broken along with his already broken nose.

Rossi suddenly heard the sink upstairs turn on and a shutter went down his back at what that could mean. The only things John had left were water boarding him, burning him, and... Dave didn't even want to think about the last one. He would very much like to keep that part of his anatomy intact.

The sink stopped and the sloshing of a bucket could be heard up stairs before that terrible door opened once more and his tormentor entered. With him was a tub of ice water, so maybe it was the hose and not the sink he heard. John without a word set it down in front of David and he had a sinking feeling that he had forgotten near drowning as a method of torture. In Rossi's state he wouldn't be able to fight him either.

"All right agent I'll ask you once and if you don't tell me what I want you will get the wonderful experience of near death" John told him before lifting his head by his hair ruffly. "Who is Derek Morgan?"

"Why?" Dave rasped.

"Because Davie boy, he's the wild card and I really don't like wild cards in my game."

"Go fuck yourself"

"hmmm...maybe later. Right now I'm going to enjoy watching you squirm" he cut Rossi loose and dragged his limp body across the floor to the plastic tub, resting his head on the edge. "Last chance, tell me who Derek Morgan is."

"Go. Fuck. Yourself."

"Fine" was all the Unsub said before dunking Dave's head in the water and holding him there for thirty second before letting him back up for air. "What were you saying Mr. Rossi?"

"Screw you"

Without another word he dunked him back in the freezing water for another twenty seconds. Once Rossi's head was back above water he let him rest there for a moment not wanting to kill the man quiet yet. "Well since you don't want to talk were going to try something else" he rolled Dave onto his back on the floor and held him down, bringing out a towel and securing it to Dave's face. He then tipped the tub over letting the water rush over Rossi for a while before letting the man breath once more.

"I can do this all day agent. I just so happen to have today off," John said a little too cheerfully. He got up and dragged a now drenched and unconscious Rossi back to the chair and tied the older man back up. "Damn Marines are so stubborn" he muttered to himself before heading back upstairs to get ready, his next option to get the Agent to talk would bring some heat.


	6. The Loss, The Hope, The Dead

Dave shivered against the cold of the basement, no one was coming, he was on his own. He kept repeating that over and over again because, well, it was true. He was going to die in this hell hole and probably do so slowly and painfully. His last breath would probably be spent in the same room as that maniac. He was going to die alone, he snorted to himself at that. "We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone; only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for a moment that we're not alone." and Orson Welles was right, it was all an illusion. Where was his team now? No where to be found and damn it when for once it was he who needed them, they weren't there. The one time it's him in physical pain they are no where to be found and here he is about to die alone. There was no way he was going to get out of here alive and Dave knew it. Even if he did manage to he would probably just die from his injuries anyway. What's the point?

That's a scary question...what's the point? There is none. He's being tortured for information that while still alive this Unsub can get but if Dave were to die the information would be safe. The real question is... should he just let go and stop fighting or should he keep fighting despite the hopeless conditions. It was like being back in war, the jungles of Vietnam taking the form of this basement and instead of his buddy being captured and tortured it's him. He's in war once more and he must decide if taking his own life has more pros than living and fighting. He felt like he was boiling this down to which burger to eat at a cook out because choosing to live or die wasn't that simple.

Would the team miss him? He honestly didn't know that answer anymore, he had been trapped her for at least a week or two and Emily had been gone for days. If she was going to get help, it would have been here by now. In spite of this glaring fact he still loved them, all of them and he always would. Maybe he would see Carolyn up there with his son, maybe even Erin and Gideon and Harrison. He missed them, more than he cared to admit and the thought of holding his little boy again sounded so amazing but then again he also had Joy and Kai. He couldn't leave them again, he was just starting to get used to being a dad and grandpa. He loved them both more than life it self and it would kill him to see them upset or cause them pain. 

Carolyn and his son, they kept coming back to the forefront of his mind. He missed them both terribly, a lone tear made it's way down his dirty and bloody face. He missed them so very very much and Erin, he had thought maybe she was it, she was his forever and then she was gone. 

More tears made there was down his cheeks as his head dropped more and his chin almost touched his chest. He was hopelessly in love with a memory. An echo from another time, another place. It was painful, almost more so than the torture he had been through in the last two weeks. It ran deep in his soul and he cried for the first time in a long time. He was done he just couldn't do it any longer, he was so tired. Why couldn't this guy just kill him already, Rossi wanted to beg him to just kill him and end his misery. Every man comes to a breaking point and this was his. He couldn't take it anymore, he just wanted it all to stop.

At that moment the dreaded door at the top of the stairs opened once more and in stepped his worst nightmare with a red hot fire poker. He walked down the stairs and without a word pushed the poker into the knife wound on Rossi's right hand. The pain was so intense that it only took seconds for him to pass out and he could hear the sound of John laughing as he did so. His last thought was please just let me die now, please. 

He woke with a jolt as ice cold water was thrown on him by the man who caused him so much pain. He blinked the water from his eyes and his head rolled forward only to be yanked up by his hair and the clamp placed in his mouth once more. Oh please god no more pulling teeth and then he was begging please god teeth as the Unsub once more picked up the red hot poker. Without warning he stuck it in Dave's mouth and effectively burned his tongue, destroying most of his taste buds.

Dave screamed in pain, his eyes wide open in fear and shock as John began to roll the poker in his mouth burning everything it touched.

"Since you won't tell me what I want I'll make sure you can't say anything at all," John said as he suddenly yanked the poker out of David's mouth and stabbed it into his left hand. "This is what happens to people who don't give me what I want! I'll have you begging me to kill you by the end of the day but instead of killing you, I'm just going to keep going!" John yelled as he pulled the poker out of Dave's hand who immediately passed out once more.

This time he didn't wake from water but from the feeling of someone watching him. He lifted his extremely heavy eye lids to see John looking at his watch with a look of surprise on his face. This confused Rossi immensely as he sat there slumped over in his chair, all energy to stay upright having left him a long time ago.

"You've been out for two days! Wasn't sure you were going to make it for a while there but then again you always were a fighter. I'm honestly surprised a man of your age lasted this long" John commented as he stood and walked towards Dave who flinched away from him instinctively. John smirked the moment he saw Dave move to protect himself or at least try to but with his condition and how he was tied up there wasn't much he could do. "If you manage to survive this last thing I'll be impressed, the blood loss alone might kill you" John said as he grabbed a knife and stabbed it into the chair between Dave's legs, making it very clear what he was going to do and Rossi paled considerably.


	7. The Anatomy, The Knife, The Rescue

"This is going to be so fun" the Unsub said as he pulled the knife back out of the chair.

"No, please" Dave pleaded, his voice not much more than a raspy whisper.

"Oh Davie boy don't worry. I'll make it quick" John replied with a smirk. He quickly untied Dave and slung the limp man over his shoulder, heaving his heavy mass over to the dentist like chair that was still in the basement. He dropped Rossi on it like a sac of potatoes, quickly tying him down to it.

Dave struggled against the restraints trying so hard to turn on his side away from the Unsub but with no luck. He squeezed his eyes shut and tensed wishing to god he could just die now, this wasn't just torture it was humiliation.

"Oh come on now David, open your eyes and watch as I cut off that all important part of your anatomy" John willed him as he finished stripping Dave of every article of clothing bellow the waist.

Dave lost it and cried, the normally well put together man cried and not silent tears but sobs. He was going to die now in the worst possible way for a man and his team couldn't save him. He couldn't help it and he cried and cried and he couldn't stop the wracking sobs that shook his entire body. What was worse was John just stood there watching his face, no smirk and no look of satisfaction just an odd curiosity. Rossi turned his head to the side to try and hide his face in shame as John came around to the side and stared him in the eyes as he continued to cry. Lord why couldn't this stop, where was his family when he needed them most? Where are you when I need you most? Just as he was about to give up all hope entirely the basement door was shattered open. Splinters of wood flew everywhere and Dave covered his face the best he could.

"What the..." before John could even finish he was gunned down where he stood.

"Emily, no. JJ, you all need to stay up stairs for a moment. He's in a...um just trust me." Derek's voice lofted over from the top of the stairs as foot steps rushed down.

"Rossi?!" Reid's voice reached him as someone pulled his pants and boxers up.

He didn't say a word and flinched away as someone tried to touch him, he hid his face so utterly scared to even look up. He was so terrified that it was all a hallucination and they weren't really there. 

"Dave. Dave it's me Emily. David please look at me" Emily pleaded as she crouched down next to him and gently touched his face. Someone had untied him and his one functional arm went up to protect his face. 

"Oh god Dave what did he do to you?" JJ's sad voice came over him as she touched his shoulder in a light reassuring way by then though Dave had already fallen unconscious and the paramedics began loading him onto a stretcher.

"Who's going to ride with him?" Morgan asked as he looked around at everyone.

"I'll go, we'll watch him in shifts. He shouldn't be alone, not now" Emily told them as they all looked sadly around the blood stained basement. A shiver ran down her spine at what had taken place here, at what had been done to one of the greatest men this team had known. Rossi was in every sense of the word a hero. This maniac had almost taken away everything from him including his dignity. Honestly if Morgan hadn't killed him, she would have, slowly. 

Reid shook his head, just based on what he had seen, if Rossi even survived his injuries, which was highly unlikely, he would never work again. He may never speak, or, walk or write again either and that scared Spenser slightly. The man who had always so full of life wasn't full of life anymore. Rossi was a soldier above all else Reid realized, he was a Marine and he would always sacrifice everything for the people he loved. 

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” - G.K. Chesterton


	8. Life and Death

It had been hours since David Stephen Rossi had been rushed into surgery and the odds were very much against him. It was extremely unlikely he would make it through the night or even off the operation table. The sepsis had set in and started taking over, along with the internal bleeding, blood loss and brain trauma. At the very least he would probably loose both legs and have brain damage, along with limited mobility in his right shoulder, at the worst...well he could die. The doctors were doing everything they could for the agent, with only the best of the best on his surgical team but there was only so much that could be done. Dave had already flat lined once in the ambulance and another time on the table, they were unsure if they could bring him back a third time. He was fighting though, even in his current state of unconscious bliss, he was still fighting to live.

The team sat quietly in the waiting room for any word on his condition but none came. Emily paced the floor as she worried non-stop about her partner and friend. David was the glue that held the team together and Emily wasn't sure if she could stay if he didn't come back alright.

Reid stood quietly off to the side, hands shoved in his pockets, staring at the ground deep in thought. Rossi couldn't leave him, not like Gideon and his own father had. Dave had taken Spencer under his wing and sort of adopted him as a surrogate son and Reid had loved him like a mentor and dad. He wasn't sure he could handle loosing David too, it would be the last straw for him to loose Rossi.

Derek sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chair with Pen curled up into him still crying. His face was stern but no one could miss the tear stains on his cheeks as he thought about loosing one of his best friends and a man he grew to think of as a father. Rossi had filled in that role as a dad to him and he didn't want to lose yet another father in the line of duty. He knew it was their job but it was so unbelievably unfair and it felt like his lungs were being squeezed into submission as he struggled to breath.

Pen sat curled up against Morgan, the tears still falling as she thought about poor Rossi in there fighting for his life. Her poor Italian Stallion was so fragile and hurt and it hurt her soul that some one could do this to such a kind and loving man. Not many people got to see the kind, loving, and fun side of him but being on this team she got the privilege of seeing him vulnerable and letting his guard down more than most. She loved the undying trust he placed in their hands each time he laid out his heart and let them see he was hurting.

J.J. stood next to Will, her arms around his waist as she thought about all Dave was and has gone though. Even if he does make it out of all of this, she knew from personal experience that the mental scars would always haunt him. She let the tears run as she thought about the full of life and loving man becoming a shell of his former self. It hurt so much to think that the normally happy and sarcastic agent whom she owed her career to becoming a depressed version of himself. She could still remember the day his lecture had convinced her of joining the Bureau and eventually the BAU. 

Matt sat in a chair not far from where Morgan was holding Pen, his head was bowed in prayer. He was praying for his fellow agent, friend and soldier to make it because David Rossi had done so much for him in his life. Most of it he hadn't even known about but never the less he had help Matt. Simmons prayed for his brother in arms to make it through this, the man had made it though hell and back in Vietnam and with this job, he hoped he could do it again.

Luke stood by the coffee machine, a cup of cold crappy coffee in hand as he stare off in to space, too shocked to do much else. Rossi was the one who brought him into the BAU to begin with, he couldn't loose him now. He was just starting to really get close to him and look up to the older agent.

The team stayed in that waiting room for hours until Emily went wide eyed and grabbed her phone calling someone quickly.

"Emily what's up? What's wrong?!" Derek asked his voice betraying his concern and his head shooting up in curiosity.

"Joy! I forgot to call Joy! Her father is in the hospital and might die and she doesn't even know!" Emily said in a panic as the phone continued to ring. Joy finally picked up on the third ring.

"This is Joy Rossi" she answered politely although the tiredness in her voice couldn't be missed.

"Joy, this is Emily. Dave was kidnapped, we found him but he's in the hospital" Emily quickly told the young woman.

"Is he alright?!" Joy asked the concern and panic clear to anyone listening.

"Joy, it's bad. It's...god, they don't know if he's going to make it and there is a good chance he won't" Emily explained her voice a whisper.

She could hear the sobs on the other side of the phone "I'll be there in five hours" she said before hanging up.

Emily collapsed into a chair, fresh tears on her face just as the lead surgeon walked in. His face was grim and brought a fresh wave of tears to Emily's face.

"We did everything we could but I don't think he'll make it through the night. You should all prepare for the worst and say your good byes. He's currently in the ICU and hooked up to a ventilator. We're honestly unsure if he's even all there anymore but if you want we can let you go back one at a time to see him" he explained sadly to the team of profliers huddled pitifully in the waiting room. This was the worst part of his job and he hated every second of having to give people bad news.


	9. Hello and Good bye

"There's no happy ending to this is there Dave?" Emily whispered as she entered his room quietly. He was hooked up to machines and IVs and Emily couldn't help the tears that feel as she watched him looking so vulnerable. "I came too late..." she whispered as she took a seat and carefully took his hand in hers. "I am so sorry Dave, I should have never left you down there" she told him as she cried. All that she heard was the steady beating of his heart on the monitor and the ventilator breathing for him. She hated seeing him like this, a tube down his throat and all theses IVs coming out of him. She looked over at his battered and bruised face and a fresh wave of tears came over her once more at the thought of maybe she could have stopped this. She could feel the bandages on his hands from the stab wounds remembering her own gun shot wound a bandage still in that very hand. "Dave you've got to come back to us alright, I need my best friend back," Emily pleaded with him desperately but no response came and she sighed before sitting back in the chair, refusing to take her eyes off him even for a moment. She was terrified that the second she did something horrible would happen.

An hour later and Emily was able to be convinced to let Spencer have some time with Rossi. Reid just stood in the doorway for a moment looking over the large expanse of machines and monitors that surrounded David's bed side. A nurse had come in a moment before to check on him and switch out a few IVs before leaving Reid to say hello or maybe good bye. He just stood there for once trying to block out all the statistics and facts, hoping beyond all hope that Rossi would be that one percent to survive. Spencer walked in slowly and sat in the same chair as Emily before him but he didn't reach out for Rossi he just sat there silently thinking.

"Dave please don't leave me" he finally said the words coming out as almost a wimper. "I know that maybe it's odd but you've become like a dad to me and I just, I've already lost my actual father and Gideon...I don't want to loose you too. And, and I know Morgan thinks of you as a dad. He's already lost his father in the line of duty once please don't put him through that again..." Spencer trailed off as the tears began to fall and instead of the silent one's that Emily shared it was fitful sobs that wrecked Reid's body.

He couldn't loose him, not now, please not now! He pleaded in his mind over and over again for the facts to be wrong or for there to be some sort of faulty information but he knew there wasn't. Spencer laid his head in the bed beside Rossi's hip and closed his eyes, listening to the steady beeping of the monitor as it told him that David was still alive.

Morgan took the next David Rossi shift but unlike Emily and Reid he didn't hesitate and just walked in and sat down. "Come on Rossi we need you to pull though this man," Morgan said with unshed tears in his eyes. This man was like a father to him and God help him if he didn't respect him as such. Derek respected everything that Dave had done for both this country, the team and him personally. "Come on Dave I need you to pull out of this and wake up. Who else is going to give me advise if I do something stupid and make Savanna mad, or be there to help out with Hank. He needs his Uncle Dave and I know for a fact that even though Jack and Hotch aren't here yet, Jack needs his Uncle Dave too" Derek told the man.

He didn't want to carry another friends casket or attend a military funeral or any funeral for that matter. He didn't want to watch as Joy tearfully took the folded up flag handed to her, what would be the only thing she had left of her father. The tears finally fell "what about Joy and Kai? Joy needs her dad still and Kai needs his grandpa" Morgan told him before burying his head in his hands and praying.

Penelope walked in a few minutes later and without a word Derek rose and left her to watch over Rossi. She took his seat and let herself cry, it was so unfair that this had to happen to him. He looked like a small child almost, so vulnerable and yet so at peace it seemed. It was strange seeing him like this, she missed his usually smartass comments and sarcastic wit. Pen missed seeing him joke around or talk about his favorite baseball team, a subject she had know knowledge of but he seemed to enjoy. She hated seeing such a strong man so vulnerable and hurt.

"Please don't die because I swear to god David Stephen Rossi, that's right I know your middle name, I will kill you if you die on us!" Penelope went on a rant and threatened him if he didn't wake up but nothing changed. He remained still and the monitor still beeped that same consistent rhythm telling her he was indeed still alive.

J.J. was the last one to visit Dave and will was permitted to come with her for support. They stood at the end of his bed and watched as the ventilator helped him breath.

"I don't know what I'll do without him" she said tearfully as she buried her head in Will's chest.

He hugged her to him before speaking "shhh Jen it'll be alright. Rossi's a tough guy he'll pull though this" he assured her.

"I've never seen him so bad before. God Will it's never been this bad before" she cried as she looked back over at Dave.

"I know Jen but you've gotta be strong for him, okay"

"I don't know if I can, he been like a dad to me and I can't loose him and Joy, she just got to meet him three years ago" J.J. told him as he pulled her closer. Will didn't say a word this time and just held J.J. letting her absorb what was going on and process it all.

All Will knew was that Dave needed to pull through this...for everyone's sake.


	10. The End or The Beginning?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This may be the last chapter but idk. Comment and tell me if you all want this continued or not.

Joy rushed into the hospital with Kai and Shawn following quickly behind her looking a bit more calm than her but not by much.

"Where is David Rossi's room?!" Joy asked the second she got to the desk "he's my father. Is he okay?! What's going on?!" she asked one after the other.

"Miss-" the nurse was cut off by Emily who had run up to them.

"Joy, Dave is this way" She lead her best friend's daughter to his room and stopped everyone out side of it. "It's bad, I'm going to tell you now. He was tortured and they don't think he'll make it through the night" Emily informed them in a mournful voice as her eyes darted to the floor.

"How bad?" Joy asked hesitantly, tears having already stained her face.

"I don't think there is honestly anything I can say to prepare you for it" Emily almost whispered to the young woman before her.

Joy didn't say a word, walked to the door and slowly turned the handle to reveal her father on the other side. Shawn grabbed her the second she opened the door and collapsed upon seeing him.

"Kai come with me and give your mommy and moment, okay?" Emily lead the little boy away from his grandfather and mom and dad.

"Is grandpa gonna be okay?" he asked looking up at Emily with large fearful eyes. Emily picked him up without a word and brought him into the waiting room with the rest of the team.

Everyone was there now, Aaron was sitting to the side with Jack explaining what happened to Uncle Dave, and Henry was with Will and J.J. who were also explaining in the gentlest way what was going on. Savanna was rubbing Morgan's back as he held Hank in his arms a sad smile across his lips. Reid and Pen sat together talking in hushed tones with hugs occasionally being exchanged between the two. Luke and Matt stood silently by each other, coffee in hand and an almost angry expression on their faces. Emily sat with Kai quietly by Pen and Reid who both hugged the little boy softly before returning to their conversation.

Hayden walked in then, her eyes blood shot from crying and went straight for Kai, picking him up and hugging him to her tightly. Emily could understand the need to hug the little boy, a small part of Dave was a part of him and at this point Kai also needed his family to help him understand.

"Joy is in his room with Shawn, if you want to take Kai back to see Dave" Emily whispered to Hayden so as not to disturb the others.

"Thank you. What room?" she asked, her British accent more prominent than ever.

"Room 913" Emily told her and watched as the two disappeared down the hall.

Joy sat at her father's bed side, her hand gently around his with Shawn silently at her side providing support as he watched his father-in-law. She felt like she couldn't breath, like the whole world was collapsing around her. She had just gotten to meet him three years ago, Kai loved his grandpa and she loved her dad. Why did the world see fit to take that from her? What had she done to deserve this? No. She mentally corrected herself, he's not dead yet, he could still pull through.

"Do you know what the saddest word in the English dictionary is?" Hayden asked as she walked in with Kai in tow.

Joy thought it was rather random but sighed and asked "What is the saddest word in the English dictionary mom?"

"Almost."

"Why?" it was Shawn's turn to be confused.

"They almost made it. He almost lived. We almost got our second chance. I almost let him love me again."

Joy was silent for a long moment before she spoke again "Why didn't you?"

"I loved him more than life itself" Hayden said quietly as she walked to the other side of his bed and brushed his graying hair out of his eyes. "I was afraid" she sighed as she looked at Joy with Kai resting against her chest and Shawn at her side. Hayden gave her daughter a sad and tearful smile "I was afraid something like this would happen and I would loose him and now I'm going to loose him and it too late for that second chance."

Shawn without a word, sensing the need for mother and daughter to be alone, picked up his son and left the room.

Joy walked over to Hayden and hugged her mother, the two of them crying because they knew, they knew this was more than likely the end.

  _"But get this, I would do it all again, without hesitation. Because you see, we almost made it. We almost fucking made it. And I'd go through it all, for a chance to see you again" ~ K.A._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Room 913 is a reference to Joe Mantegna's first episode directing on the show which was Season 9 episode 13.


	11. Body and Mind

They didn't know how but Dave was living still, not awake but living. He stayed in that bed for a week with no movement, just healing and in a medically induced coma. Everyone visited, every day and every moment they could. Reid and Morgan though, they went above and beyond sometimes staying the night so Joy and Hayden could go back to Dave's house and get some sleep. On these nights both men would sit there silently watching the man they both considered a surrogate father. They would hope beyond all hope that he would wake up one day and crack a joke. They knew though that it was unrealistic and if he did wake up he would probably never be the same, a shell of his former self. They both spent many nights at the hospital reminiscing about "the good ol' days", reading to Rossi or in Morgan's case, praying. Morgan would even some times play music from his phone, quietly, to fill the room with something other than silence.

Eventually Joy and many others had to head home or back to work and it was left to Hayden and the the two men plus Pen to watch him. Reid went as far as to use all his vacation day just to watch over the man and help out Hayden. When he too had to go back to work Penelope was there when Hayden or Morgan wasn't. They were all there as his IV's were day by day slowly removed and eventually the ventilator too but Dave was still living. By some miracle he was still alive and fighting, which largely fascinated the doctors who thought he wouldn't make it through the night three weeks ago.

Today was the day, today they would ease him out of his coma. Morgan, Reid, Penelope, and Hayden were all there for it with Joy on Face Time. The rest of the team was on a case and got Anderson to cover them so they didn't have to worry about being an agent down and Kevin was covering Penelope.

"It'll be a few hours before he'll wake up and when he does it may take a few times before he can stay awake for a conversation," the doctor told them all as they watched from their seats as he eased Dave from his coma before leaving them alone in the room. Morgan and Reid were sitting on the small couch by the room window watching Dave intently while Hayden and Pen were in chairs on the other side of his bed.

"Maybe we shouldn't all be staring at him" Morgan said quietly as he turned to look out the window while casting quick glances at Dave every few seconds.

Reid opened the book he had been reading Dave and began reading once more. The book he was reading was "Envy" by Sandra Brown, a book about a best selling author named Maris Matherly-Reed and a man who does't want to be found. He took his time with it and didn't read at his normal speed so he could insure Dave understood the plot of the book. It was stupid he knew but it was scientifically proven that people could still hear while in a coma.

Hours past and eventually everyone but Morgan went to get coffee and lunch, figuring one of them should stay behind to watch David. And there Morgan stood at Rossi's bedside, watching in amazement and pure joy as the man very heavily lifted one eye lid and then the other.

"Hey Dave" Morgan whispered as he sat next to the man.

Rossi wouldn't look at him or even acknowledge his existence, closing his eyes once more. He couldn't do this, he felt embarrassed for the way Morgan had to see him. He unfortunately was not blessed with amnesia regarding the event. He remembered every painful and humiliating moment, Dave squeezed his eyes shut as he felt hot tears cascade down his cheeks. He turned his head in shame, not wanting Morgan or anyone else to see him cry.

"Dave, Dave It's okay. You're in the hospital, and the guy is dead" Morgan reassured him the second he saw the tears. He felt helpless, unsure of what to do to help him.

Rossi ignored him and refused to face him, he couldn't let him see him more weak than he already had. Morgan couldn't see him lower than he already was and David was going to make sure no one ever did. These were his fading thoughts as he slipped back into the dark realm of sleep haunted by nightmares and pain.

Derek watched as Dave's face relaxed and realized the older man must have fallen back to sleep in his exhaustion. He already had a bad feeling about Dave's recovery and the man had only just come out of a coma. He wasn't so much worried about the physical but the mental, he was fairly sure that on top of the torture itself that Dave went through it probably brought back bad memories of his time in war. Derek did not look forward to when the two things finally came together in an explosion of devastation.

When the rest of them got back from lunch Morgan let them know that Dave had woken up for a few minutes. He left out the fact that the profiler had also started crying and hadn't looked at him deciding it was probably best to leave it out. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them and plus he had told the doctor who agreed that the mental damage would be a hard battle to heal. It was one that both he and Reid were willing to spend every second helping him fight even if he didn't want to. It was made clear to him by the doctor that David would never work again, at least not anything past being maybe an author again. Derek took that in and it hurt, it hurt to think that world's best Criminal Profiler would no longer be able to do his job.

"Reid" Morgan stepped into the room after getting his dinner and sending the woman home to sleep.

"Yea?" Reid asked pausing in his reading to Rossi.

"Dave's not going to be working again"

"I know" Reid sighed and put the book down. "I've always known. It was statistically unlikely that he would and he'll need extensive help with most things from now on plus because of his knees Dave will be confined to a wheel chair the rest of his life" Reid rambled.

"He'll need help," Morgan sighed as he sat down and began to eat, his eyes never once leaving Dave's sleeping form.

"I know and that's why I'm switching to teaching at the academy," Reid told Morgan in a matter-of-fact tone.

"But you love the BAU and plus I retired and Savanna and I both agreed we'd help take care of him" Morgan argued.

"It won't be the same without Rossi and honestly I think this will be better in the long run. You'll need help anyway because you have Hank to take care of too," Reid said in what started strong but ended sounding like a plea.

Derek watched Spencer for a moment before nodding in agreement. The kid was right, Savanna and him were going to need help and they didn't want Joy or Hayden to feel like they had to do it alone.

Dave could hear whispers in the room, he slowly opened his eyes in the dimly lit room and his heart started racing at the darkness and his eyes shot open in fear. "Oh god he was back in the basement" Dave thought to himself. He had to get out of there! Dave's head whipped around as someone touched him, he jerked away from the contact in fear of the pain sure to follow.

Derek stood there in shock at the amount of terror in Dave's eyes from the simple touch on his shoulder. His stomach squeezed in sadness that this man had gone through so much horror that he feared even contact from his friends.

"Dave, Dave it's okay. It's just Derek and I. Alright? It's Derek and Spencer. We're not going to hurt you," Reid said reassuringly like he was talking to a scared child.

Spencer and Derek. Spencer and Derek. Oh god. A fresh wave of humiliation hit Rossi and he turned away in shame and partial fear. "Get out" his voice rasped, he couldn't let them see him like this. "Get out!" he yelled a bit louder and when no one moved he lost it "GET OUT NOW! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE! LEAVE!" Rossi roared effectively scaring the crap out of both men who had never heard him yell. They quickly left the room to let David calm down a bit before they talked to him again.

This wasn't going to be a war to heal his body but a war to heal his mind.

_"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds." ~ Laurell K. Hamilton_


	12. The End

Spencer stood next to the beautiful stone and read it's inscription over and over again. He had memorized it long ago but the pain never faded nor did the memory.

It had taken Dave another week to get out of the hospital and once he was home, he refused to see anyone. Not even Joy or Hayden was let into the mansion where he locked himself away. He refused therapy and instead sank deep into depression and slowly let his PTSD consume him. His neighbors never saw him outside except on occasion when he rolled out in his wheel chair to get the mail. No one knew what to do, the man would listen to no one and he couldn't even look them in the eyes anymore. Not even Aaron could talk sense into the older profiler and eventually everyone had given up on him. Well everyone but Derek and Spencer, who still went to his house every morning on the off chance that that might be the day he lets them in. Derek would even mow his lawn once a week without asking or being asked and would leave immediately after. Spencer would occasionally drop books off at his door and they were usually gone the next day and he later discovered that Dave had read every single one that Spencer gave him. Neither man expected anything in return and both knew it was foolish to think he would just roll out of his house one day and be back to the old Dave they knew and loved but they didn't give up on him. The day came though when even his neighbors noticed his mail starting to pile up and they knew that things were only getting worse.

Derek and Spencer both received a call four months after Dave went home from the hospital that crushed any hope they had. It came from one of Dave's neighbors saying that he had finally had enough of the depression and stress and took his own life. He had used the gun that Sgt. Scott had given him and shot himself while in the study. There was a note left on his desk that was addressed to Derek and Spencer. The note for the men read:

_Derek and Spencer,_

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't be the father figure that you both needed and I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough._

_I couldn't handle the nightmares or the paranoia and depression anymore. I'm sorry that I pushed you away_

_but I couldn't let you both see me like this. I wanted you to remember me the way I was and not who I'd_

_become. The things that that man did to me should remain a secrete and I intend to keep it that way._

_None of this is your fault as I'm sure you are both more than likely thinking it is but it's not. P_ _lease tell_

_Hayden that I loved her with all my heart and that perhaps in another life we would have been_

_together. She is and will always be the love of my life. Tell Joy that I'm sorry I couldn't be the father she_

_deserved and that I loved every moment we spent together. Lastly, don't tell Kai how I died, I want him_

_to remember his grandpa as the fun guy he got to play catch with. I love you both but I just can't keep_

_doing this and handling this._

_Love,_

_Dave_

Reading that note had crushed both men. A week later Marine Sgt. Major (retired) David Stephen Rossi was laid to rest and given a full Military funeral. No one said a word as the unwritten sadness blanketed the air. Spencer and Derek were the last to leave that day and no one questioned why it was because everyone knew the impact the man being lowered into the ground had had on them.

That's where Reid stood now, almost five years later, at David Rossi's grave. The sadness still ever present even with Morgan only a few feet away. It was Memorial Day and both men had come to pay their respects to not only a Marine and fellow agent but a wonderful man and father.

_"The Soldier above all else prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of War."_

_~ General Douglas MacArthur_


End file.
